JOINT STATEMENT_the mob killing of a Vietnamese man

Read about Vietnamese mobs killing Khmer Krom here.

Phnom Penh, 20 February 2014

JOINT STATEMENT

  

Pursuant to reports of the English editions of “The Phnom Penh Post” and “The Cambodia Daily” newspapers on the mob killing of a Vietnamese man in the wake of a traffic accident in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district on 15 February 2014, we, the above human rights organizations, express our regret about the incident and our condolence to the family of the deceased. We wish his soul to rest in peace.

Nguyen Vann Chean (30) was called to the site of a traffic accident which involved his brother. The deadly brawl ensued because the damaged motorbike was blocking the road. Reportedly, a mob of 20 people gathered and bludgeoned the victim to death.

We, the above NGOs, condemn this cruel killing which we fear is an act of racially motivated violence against a Vietnamese person in Cambodia.

Similarly, an incident occurred on 03 January 2014 that involved the destruction on Vietnamese property. According to MIRO’s investigation, at least three Vietnamese-run shops were attacked, looted and burnt down after the violent clashes between striking garment workers and military police along Veng Sreng Street in Pur Senchey district. So far, the shop owners have not been compensated. Also these assaults are presumably racially motivated.​ [Khmerization: According to the protesters, snipers were seen shooting protesters from the rooftop of these buildings which killed 5 protesters and injured more than 40 people. They said they force-entered the buildings to arrest the snipers].

Cambodia is a democratic state and a signatory party to the “International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination”. All forms of hatred, incitement to racial discrimination and acts of violence against any race or group of person of another ethnic origin must be eliminated and prohibited in order to guarantee the right of everyone, without any distinction in regard to race, color or national or ethnic origin, and to ensure equality before the law.

As human rights organizations, we strongly object to repeated acts of violence in Cambodian society that apparently are based on racial prejudices. Therefore, we urge the authorities to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the killing of Nguyen Vann Chean in order to find justice for the victim and his family. At the same time, we also call for all Cambodian people to respect the human rights of other ethnicities and refrain from all kinds of racial violence so that we can live together in harmony and peace.

For further information, please contact:

1-     Mr. Ou Virak, President of CCHR, 012 404 051, ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org

2-     Mr. Ang Chanrith, Director of MIRO, 012 934 802, chanrith.ang@gmail.com